From the moment we walked in every one was very welcoming and they even helped us find the perfect helmets for our big brains. over all great experience and have many things bike related to choice from read more

They fixed my son's Walmart bike brake issue and the staff was super helpful and friendly. Price was great! They were super busy but know now it's bc they are good so treat them nicely! read more

Just purchased my first real bike from this shop and had the best experience! Daniel was extremely helpful and made me feel really comfortable. His knowledge is robust! Definitely choose this place if you're in the market & want to feel secure in your purchase. Can't wait to ride!! read more

The friendliest most helpful staff. The best selection of bicycles in Houston. Pretty much all you need as a cyclist and all in one store. Including mechanic's onsite. All the best and latest MTB gear, clothing and accessories. read more

West End makes you believe cycling is their passion and could easily be your passion as well. Walking inside for the first time, you see and smell the mechanics of cycling - the build and repair shop in the back corner, the variety of cycling options on their shop floor, and the low ceilings that make you think 'cool, unpristine garage'. If you are a cycling fan, you know that life is messy on the road and stores should not appear to be similar to a surgical room in a hospital. When you have a question, West End has the answers. They have standard commercial cycling products as well as customized options suitable for different levels of expertise. Come to West End for the knowledgeable staff and mechanics, the people who live and breath cycling each day. read more

I would be very careful dealing with West End bicycles since they have a history of not standing by what they sell, at least in my one glaring case. We left feeling cheated and taken despite buying or taking people to buy 3 bicycles in a period of a year totaling over $2000.00. I had bought my wife a Specialized mountain bike, helped a friend buy a bike, and then took my brother to buy one, all from West End. On my brother's bike, we ran into the problems. He bought a Specialized mountain bike and he went out and rode it day one, mostly on paved trails. Within half an hour we noticed the down tube was splitting right at the braze on's. Essentially the down tube broke in half. We promptly took the bike bike to West End. They said that it was clear that he was too aggressive and hit something to break the tube. We explained that's not the case and to see that the bike was perfectly clean and we hadn't been gone for more than a couple of hours. West End said they would sell us a new frame for $450.00 plus labor. We refused and they said they could keep the bike there until the Specialized rep came by. That option could be four to six weeks since he had apparently just been there. That's all West End wanted to do. I called Specialized that Monday. They said they had a small batch of frames that they overheated the braze on's and the bikes were prone to break! They were trying to recall those serial numbers, but had just started. You would think Specialized would make sure he got a new bike pronto, but not so. I went back to West End but they explained the warranty only covers parts even if it's within the first two hours and a confirmed manufacturer defect. They said it would be $150 to rebuild the bike with the new frame that Specialized provided. They wouldn't swap the bike out for a new one either. I called Specialized customer support and complained. They said that is up to each dealer although most would swap the bike or do it at no charge. Specialized finally said they were going to pay half and called the store, but we were still out $75 and more than a week of waiting. Shop at your own risk. read more

My husband and I went in to pick out road bikes for the MS150. For all purposes, we went in to buy not just one, but two bikes. Unfortunately, this task was not accomplished due to the preoccupation of the store's staff talking with each other instead. The staff generally ignored, not only us, but others in the store. There was enough people working, just not actually helping customers. We were there for about 20 minutes trying to ask a few questions, but to no avail. We ended up just leaving. I appreciate the lack of a hard sell, but apathy is even worse. Maybe we seemed like too much of novices to even deal with. read more

These guys are flat-out rude. I have had two separate incidents of poor customer service with the service department here. I bought a bike from them a while back, and after a couple months of ownership and a couple hundred miles, I brought it back in for the free tune-up they (and pretty much all other shops) promise when they sell you the bike. The salesman that I spoke to acted shocked that I was asking for the tune-up, and told me they didn't normally do that. He flat-out refused to take my bike. After several minutes of arguing with him, I finally spoke to someone who seemed to be in charge, and he agreed to take my bike and do the tune-up. They were not quick about the work either. A couple of weeks ago I called the shop to see if they could box up another bike for shipping. In my experience, this is a service that pretty much all bikes shops will do for a small fee. The employee that answered the phone huffed out only the word "No" as if I had asked for something totally ridiculous, and said nothing else before hanging up on me. There are plenty of bike shops in Houston that respect their customers and want their business, even after the sale. I'd go somewhere else, especially for service. read more

This is an OG bike shop that has the history and knowledge of all things bikes. The mechanics can fix anything on the spot. Very friendly staff. Was able to get a new chain right when the pandemic started. When you leave with your old bike or a new steed, you feel like it was your first bike ever. read more

came here because of the good reviews, changed two inner tubes in September for $47 total. less than one month and only 90 miles later, got a flat tire, I won't come back. read more

West End Bicycles - flat tube - Bikes Near Me - Houston, Texas

I haven't been in this store to purchase in prob two years but my last experience was with a guy named trendon. He seems to be a nice dude with plenty of knowledge. I've heard bad things about the "attitude" of the staff here from several riding buds that won't shop this place due to their personal experience here but dealing with trendon was good and overall I have to give the shop a 4 star from that alone. I've rode with him on the terry hershy trails once and he rips so dealing with a guy who walks the walk and talks the talk earns points in my book as well. If your at memorial park on the trails and you have a mechanical failure this shop is riding distance away. read more

I have been pondering a bike purchase for well over a year now, and the only thing keeping me from doing so was the snobbishness of the bike world. I had no idea that such a thing existed...all I wanted was a bike that I could take either on trails or the road, something at a reasonable price, and a respected brand. When I would mention 'hybrid' or 'I don't really want to spend over $600"....the eyes would start to roll and my desire to continue shopping was gone. Then a friend of mine mentioned West End Bicycles.... and I was still apprehensive to visit the modest neighborhood bike shop. After a running injury left me with few cardio options, I dropped in. Still intimidated, I gave the super friendly and laid-back salesman my specs...and he had exactly what I was looking for! No questions, no persuading me to get something with more bells and whistles, the bike was below MSRP and I got 10% off of accessories that day. Fantastic! Since then, I've returned to make additional purchases and to get some maintenance done....and I can say that the entire staff is helpful and loves what they do! read more

This has to be the friendliest bike shop in town. West End Bikes is the soul of bicycling in Houston. There are a lot of bike shops around here, but there aren't too many where people come just to hang out. Zero bike-snob factor. There are several weekly group rides that leave from here (there's one just your pace). The shop houses a fantastic assortment of vintage bikes (not for sale, sadly). The mechanics really know their stuff. And there's always a fuzzy cat nearby to say hello. They are cycling advocates and sponsors of the Moonlight Ramble and MS150. read more

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This is a great place for all things bicycle. When i walked in I was really surprised at the size and the number of bikes. It was really big! It looks small from the outside, but this place is cavernous when you walk in. They have about a million bikes. I have never seen a bike shop with so many bikes. I saw a lot of Specialized bikes, and there were road bikes, mountain bikes, and everything in between. The two times I have been i have need accessories. the first time I need a fender to keep water of my backside in the rain. They had a quick release one that was reasonably priced. I really like it. The second time I needed some gloves, and they had a huge selection at a lot of different price points. I got just what I needed. The staff is friendly and helpful, but will leave you alone if you just want to browse. The place has a nice laid back feel to it, and you might see a friendly cat wondering around. This is where I will continue to go for all my bicycle needs. read more

Totally love that this place is like a mom & pop shop! Even though I've done some tris and the MS150, I still feel like a bike noob! The staff were totally friendly, knowledgeable and I didnt get the feeling that they were ripping me off and taking advantage of my "noobness" when I came in for a cleaning and to get a new chain. I went to Sun & Ski bike shop and Bike Barn to get their advice about getting a new chain and they were both mixed reviews and didnt make me feel very confident about their advice. However coming to West End, since I was training for my triathlon, they highly recommended that I get a new chain so that I'm not risking anything that may cause my chain to snap or stop working. It's not like they just looked at it either, they thoroughly checked the chain by spinning my wheel and working my gears and really spending time with me. Only dislike is they close early (6pm) on weekdays :( I gotta rush from work to get to the store. The salesperson even helped me put my bike in my car even when I said it was ok- big customer satisfaction! I also got offered a bottle of water while waiting and it wasn't those dinky small water bottles, it was the full size with the nozzle! :) hollaaaa! read more

I was looking to purchase a Specialized bike and I did a lot of research prior to purchase because I really didnt want to get owned on the price of the cycle. My research landed me at my local bike shop, West End, less than 3 miles from my home. When I walked in I was on the defensive and hesitant. I knew which bike I wanted so I ordered it and they said it would be ready by the next week. It was built and ready by the day they said it would be ready and have not had any problems since then. They did a great job in fitting me for the bike size and made some great adjustments to my shoes. The adjustments all had great effects on my riding productivity and comfort. I've been back a lot to purchase items and they have been nothing but helpful. everytime I go in there and try to buy the best new "toy" I get the best advice from them on which to purchase and inevitably I always got advice to purchase the least expensive of the 2 or 3 toys I was debating between. They have also been great with the free tune up. I have ridden over 300 miles and have gone in asking them to do the tune-up. They looked at it really quickly and said I should wait to do the tune-up because it had not gotten out of tune, so I would essentially be wasting a free tune-up. Great guys, a little pricey but well worth it. Thanks! read more

Come here if you hate biking... because the staff will make you love it! This place has been around for over 25yrs in the Rice Military/outskirts of Memorial Park area. But it saddens me to say that I've never bought a bike or part here my whole life. I visit this shop every month just to check on any new rides or innovative parts and accessories. I wish they carried more Kona but the Specialized variety they have is very good. Many one off brands have come through here such as Moots and Sycip(awesome stuff). They even have a small bike museum with all sorts of classics and one-of-a-kinds. What shines here is the staff. Plenty of them behind the counter and walking around the shop ready to help you out. I brought a couple friends this past weekend for some bike shopping. Not one but several were helping us out to get my friends on some test bikes. They all worked together and shared their input on what would be best. Coming from a racing background, they took in a lot of my opinions and I even met and old mate from a rival team haha. The staff had my friends ride around and we critiqued their form on each bike. One of the guys had them ride around several times just to be extremely sure that the bike fit them well. This type of concern is a great mark of a good shop. read more

This place is GREAT and price was very reasonable!! Long story short, rode the trails @ Memorial, flew off a drop, broke both brake levers, got a flat and had to walk the bike back to the truck!! Drove to West End Bicycles (10-15 mins tops) and got everything fixed within 30mins!! GREAT JOB GUYS!! I was able to look around at all of their bikes while I was waiting there.. Prices were very reasonable compared to other LBS... I remember seeing a Specialized Hardrock Disc for $475 compared to $569 at Bike Barn!! That's a little more than $100 savings!! I will definitely stop by again if I'm in the area.... This is an AWESOME LBS!! Would definitely recommend to anyone in the area looking for repairs or a new bike!! read more

Stopped by today with full intentions of leaving with a new bike. After asking about a specific model I was told none in stock which is understandable. Before I could even ask what other models are available I was told "we're really not selling anything today, we are trying to focus on repairs. But you can come back tomorrow." Sorry guys I drove an hour to spend my money and I won't be back. I was shocked to hear this especially during this epidemic. So much for helping the local small business in my city. Good news is my new bike will be here in 3 days from a company that was more than happy to take my money. I hope the owner reads this and reviews the in store cameras. I was there at 3:00 with a bright blue shirt on FYI. read more

This is one of my favorite neighborhood bike shops, almost perfect. They have tons of bikes, new and old. One of my favorite things to do is just go in and check out all of the old classic bikes they have. The sell mostly LeMond and Specialized (sorry, but no Treks here), but they also have a bunch of bikes from other "boutique" brands like moots, ibis, independent, etc. It is the ownership and the staff that really shines at this place though. They are always knowledgeable, helpful and, and willing to drop what they are doing to make sure you find what you are looking for. Several times i have sent my dad here to get a part or something for his bike (he's not all that knowledgeable about bikes, he just really loves to ride) and they have always come through in making sure he gets the right part that will work for his bike. The staff is great about figuring out what you need for your level of riding and not trying to get you to lay down a bunch of cash for something you don't need. And they are always willing to install it for you if thats your thing. But the best part is that it lacks the elitism and constant competition to see who is the most hardcore biker that can prevail at other shops. Make no mistake, this isn't a one stop shop for all your biking needs. They aren't a huge place and can't afford to stock absolutely everything, but they have most stuff and for service they can't be beat. They do group rides on Tuesdays and Thursdays that are a lot of fun. The fast group (mostly current and aspiring racers) leaves at 6 while the slower group (averages between 14 and 18 mph) departs at 6:30. Its about a 20 mile ride and is always a blast. read more

The weather is getting warmer, so it's time to get out there on a bike. I went to look for my first bike since grade school, and my bf wanted me to get a Specialized, so it was off to West End Bicycles for us. Blaine Grove, the Specialized fit specialist at the store, is absolutely awesome. He is totally laid back, wanted me to try any and every bike I wanted, and didn't put any pressure on us to hurry and make a purchase or to upgrade my bike to a higher model. I rode a few bikes, we went to lunch to mull it over per Blaine's suggestion, then came back and I rode the bike I wanted one more time and a short while later I had my awesome MYKA HT! I'm scheduled to go back for my complimentary maintenance to see how the bike is riding in a few weeks. Since I told Blaine it was my first time owning a "serious" mountain bike, he assured me I could come back if anything was wrong at all--tires, chain, seat, etc. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed my experience at West End. And I can't wait til I log some more time on my bike so I can do some of the shop rides (weekend mornings, and one or two nights a week--call for deets). I hope if you're considering purchasing any of the brands they carry (I saw Specialized and Globe), that you'll pay them a visit. And tell Blaine I said hi! :) read more

Can't say enough about West End. This place is great. Prices aren't the best in town, but the awesome service more than makes up for it. I made the mistake of buying my first mountain bike at a different local shop, and got talked into buying a bike that was too big for me. I asked those guys if the bike was maybe a bit big for me, and they kept reassuring me that size L was perfect for me. And of course, they didn't have a size M in stock when I asked to try a M. A month or so later, I dropped by West End (on my way to Memorial Park), because my buttocks were bothering me. Blaine helped me, and noted that the bike was a bit too large for me, and then proceeded to do as many adjustments as possible to make the bike fit me better. He also noted that the seat that I chose at the other shop was clearly too wide for me, and hence the uncomfortable buttocks. When I chose the seat at the other shop, I asked the guys there about how to pick something that fits, and I was told to just get whatever I like. After the changes, I was able to handle my bike SOOOO much better. And my buttocks feel much better nowadays! After my great experience at West End, I went back there with my girlfriend and bought her a Specialized Mika HT. Got a slightly better price than retail, but with the same great service from Blaine. I really like West End, and cannot fathom getting a bike anywhere else now. My next purchase will be a road bike. Other folks at West End who are very nice and helpful include Jason and Trenton. I do wish they carried more brands as Specialized appears to be their staple. But heck, I think I can live with a Specialized as my next bike. HIGHLY recommended. read more

When you go into this place don't expect to be greeted with a "Hello, how may I help you?" You will find the staff with their heads down working on something, rarely at the counter, and uncaring of a new customer in their immediate vicinity. You will be like a ghost and anything short of screaming seems to produce no affect on the people supposed to be trying to sell you stuff. It took me a couple of visits even to figure out who actually worked there so that in future visits I could at least identify who I have to go up to to ask a question. Though I am not a fan of the people in there, they do carry some pretty good bikes and equipment, some at a decent price, so it is worth sucking up the bad service for the products they sell. read more

Took my Madone in for some much needed TLC. The techs did a great job getting her back to "as good as new" all without breaking the bank :-) Very laid back, very helpful and the turnaround was quick. I highly recommend! read more

So I used to frequent this place back in the 90's when I was a youngster. My wife and I were in the market to purchase her a bike, and have a couple of bikes of mine worked on. This place offered a competitive price on Specialized bikes, there price was far below there direct competitors, bike barn. I will say that even though there price on Retail bikes was good, I found there parts to be closer to "Retail" than I was hoping. Even with the 10% off with purchase of a new bike, the prices were above the price that I could find on the internet. Overall I was very satisfied with the work that I had done to my two bikes, and did not feel that I was raked over the coals. My bikes ride like new, and my wife is very satisfied with her purchase also. Daniel, the store owner, was very delightful to deal with. He was very knowledgeable, and accommodated us in every way. My children had heard about their cat and kept begging to see him. So Daniel gave us a private tour of the "West End Gallery" where his wife shows her art work, and the cat now lives restricted to this area. I would defiantly recommend this place as a local haven for bicycles. I did call on the phone several times and felt that the person on the other end was too busy to talk to me, but overall was a good experience. read more

Great local bike shop if you live near Washington. I am a fan of their staff, who are all friendly and very knowledgable. Actually they are probably the friendliest bike staff in town. They sell mostly Specialized, which in my opinion is the best brand for women's specific bikes. Only downside is that the little shop feels crowded because of all the merchendise, but it's well organized and clean. I think I must have test rode 3 or 4 bikes and each time they were there to help me and give me their opinions on how I looked and how the ride should feel. They host Ted's Taco ride every Sunday which is fun and a great place to meet friendly Houston cyclists. Would definitely recommend visiting this place if you love bikes. read more

The coolest bicycle shop I've found in this area. Kinda hard to find, but it's truly one of those hidden gems. Never mind all the nice new bikes on the showroom floor, I'm gazing at all the sweet bikes from the 80's and 90's hanging up in the rafters. Kooka, cooks bros, ringle, bontrager, syncros, white industries, and lots more to drool over. People here are friendly and clearly enthusiasts. Prices seem right on track with everyone else in the industry. read more

I got a 2nd hand mountain bike for my kid and the bike needs some adjustments and maybe some other touch-ups. I am not a bike person and don't know about bikes well so I wanted to find somewhere trustworthy and won't just try to rip you off. I looked online and found West End. It is a small hidden gem in Rice Military area. Into the shop with my kid, we were immediately welcomed by staff Daniel. Daniel checked the bike and gave us very down to earth suggestions. I walked in with thinking that quite a few things need to fix/adjust and I was ready to spend about quite a bit. It ended up only $30 because of Daniel's honest and professional suggestions. He adjusted the bike to better suit my kid. My kid is super happy with the adjusted bike and so am I. Great shop! I can see why people highly recommend it. Knowledgeable, honest and friendly. I would say, I highly recommend this shop too and will definitely come back! read more

Fantastic service and super friendly, knowledgeable staff. I needed to buy front and tail lights for my road bike and I was greeted immediately and helped to find what I was looking for. Also, the staff offered to put my lights on for me, which was super kind. They weren't just trying to sell me stuff and send me on my way. They were happy to talk to me and get me completely situated before I walked out the door. Also, I've been offered a cup of their delicious coffee during one morning visit. Top notch! Makes me feel like I'm at a good friend's house when I'm visiting. read more

This shop's "old school" customer service is amazing. I received outstanding service from Trenton. We arrived early (before opening time) and he went above and beyond the quarantine norms. Definitely want to keep them in business for many more years. read more

These people are a throw back to the way bike shops used to be. The building has been there forever, which plays into the old school feel. The staff are attentive and very knowledgeable. I'll be dropping off the two bikes we bought for their 30 day tune up. I will be a long time customer with West End as long as they keep doing what they're doing. It's worth the drive from anywhere in the metroplex! read more

This is a real bike shop, not just some big box retailer staffed with employees that know nothing about riding. West End's team is extremely knowledgeable as they actually ride. Their customer service is 2nd to none. Bikes are nearly impossible to get right now and it seemed that every where I looked bikes were on backorder and not coming in for months. Their whole team searched for alternatives and blew me away with what they came up with.These folks truly care. They made a customer for life out of me. read more

Hands down the best bike shop in Houston. From extremely knowledgeable service people, mechanics, and owner. This is a mom and pop shop and they treat you right. They recommend what is best for your needs and also rent bikes so you can get a feel for right size bike and comfort needs. Highly recommend them if you're in the market for a new bike or need repairs on your old bike. read more

I've bought my last two bikes through Trendon at West End and only have the best things to say about this operation. Trendon and staff have expert knowledge yet are able to break it down to lay terms for myself. Great place, products and staff. read more

Great staff and great products. Every time I have came in they have always helped me out. The shop selection is incredible. Very friendly people. I always enjoy coming in. read more

I hate giving a less than favorable rating to a lovable mom-and-pop type of shop, but alas, they are just waaaaaay too expensive and don't have a large inventory to choose from. I've been biking for well over a decade and recently got my husband into it. A few years ago, we bought two mountain bikes from here, which we love. We recently came here to start the process of checking what's out there in the new road bike world, and I guess we just kind of forgot what we learned the first time around--that we overpaid. We were in there for a matter of 5 minutes and walked out empty-handed after the employee who "helped" was trying relentlessly to dissuade us from going anywhere else. Of course, we ended up going elsewhere and had amazing customer service and bought a beautiful bike with great components for less than what we would've paid for here. The staff is friendly and know their stuff, I'd just rather go somewhere with a bigger selection. read more

This is a great place for those who want to buy good bicycle! I bought two bicycles for my children. There is definitely the best stuff in the market, I have asked them many questions and they can get me to answer for all. My main purpose was to be secure bicycles, because it's important for safety my children. It had been two months since I bought bicycles and all right with my children and bicycles. I happy knew this place and nigh recommends everybody who wants to buy new toy. read more

Great neighborhood bike store, and true to things texan, massive. They have a huge staff and selection without feeling like a chain store and seem to be the go-to for memorial. They let me test ride tons of bikes, never pressured me, and eventually convinced me (the test rides, i should say) to switch up my game and rethink what a houston city bike should be. So glad I stayed flexible, and stoked on the new specialized urban adventure ride. Trendan helped me a bunch, even swapped out the original seat that didn't fit me great for no charge, though all the people here are chill and knowledge and helpful. read more

Do not rent a bike from here! Let me say that again, do not rent a bike from here! I'm no bike expert and I'm relatively new to the biking world, but I'll share with you my experience for renting a bike here for my girlfriend. They don't have much to choose from for the small bikes, my girlfriend is 5'1", so she could only select from 13" or 15" sized bikes which they didn't have a lot to choose from. I understand that, that is not the problem. The problem was that I asked them if this would be a good bike for mountain biking and they said the 13" bike they gave me would work great for my girlfriend. It did not, the size was fine, but the cheap shifters they put on it tore up my girlfriends hands and were very difficult and near impossible to shift. We went up to dallas to do some of the trails around the state parks and she was having difficulty the entire time shifting, which pretty much ruined the trip for her. What was even worse, was when I took the bike back and asked to talk about the parts on the bike. The representative told me that it was her fault for not having gloves. He told me this as he was walking away and said "Okay you can go.". He said this in such a way that he basically was telling me to get out of the store. Ignoring the fact that he was a complete jerk about the skin missing from my girlfriend's hands because of the crappy parts, only last year we rented a bike that my girlfriend didn't wear gloves for and she was perfectly okay. I expect to get what I pay for and when I'm paying $140 for 7 days, I would expect to get a quality bike. What a waste, I feel completely ripped off for the amount I paid and the bike that I received. Do not rent here unless you are planning to just stroll around the block and even then don't expect anything of quality. The bikes they have are in very poor conditions and the customer service is more than enough reason to go somewhere else. I was planning on getting a bike for my girlfriend from here but after the customer service that I received, I will never do business with them again. This has been one of the worst experiences as far as customer service I have had with any business. Save you time and go somewhere else. I bought my bike at Bike Barn and the help there seem much more professional and much more friendly. read more

Here's another story of horrible service or lack of effort towards providing service. I've been cycling for just over 5 years. I still feel relatively new to it all. Some things I can do on my own while other stuff I take to a shop. Maybe I'm cheap (I like to think sensible) but I can't bring myself to spend more than $300 for a new bike and have to worry about it getting stolen or parts stolen. So my everyday bike is a 1982 Bridgestone road bike I got off of craigslist for $100. I love it. It's a beast and I'm holding on till the frame breaks. The time came where the rear wheel needed to be completely replaced. I could feel the freewheel giving out and the spokes were snapping like every other week. . So I went to West End on a sunny day. It was busy, but there were some guys in the back standing there talking while others were working. After waiting for a few minutes one of the kids in the back talking, walked up and meekly uttered what sounded like "may I help you?" under his breath. Told him I'd like a new rear wheel. He said he didn't think they had that size and walked to an older fellow who was busy working on another customers bike (and knew what he was doing) to confirm. That fellow asked the size of wheel, I answered with 27". And he shook his head saying they don't carry it. I asked if they can order one? He said, "No one makes those anymore. Those bikes are old man no one has parts for that" I asked if he can convert the bike to a more commonly used wheel set that I can buy there. He responded with "Man that'll take a lot of work and I'm not sure your brakes will fit it." He asked another bike worker that was actually working about the brakes and he shook his head. So I said, "Look, this is my daily commuter, I need this bike. I'll pay you to convert it, order the new wheels, brakes and everything. I just need this bike to work." His response was, "Sorry man". And I asked in almost disbelief, "So you're telling me there's nothing you can do for me?" He shook his head "no". So I said "Fine" and turned around and walked away. And really, that should have been it but again there were a lot of customers and I guess he didn't want to look bad for turning down someone willing to pay for a lot of service, but as I turned to walk away he hollers at me "Next time you might wanna do some research!" I was so pissed that I just kept walking...because if I turned around, I might have spat in his smug oily face. I KNOW you can convert old 80's frames to newer parts. I lived in Seattle for 5 years and have seen it done all over that city. Every bike shop I took my bike there had parts for it with no problems of part availability. And since moving back to Houston and discovering that cycling was catching on, I was excited to continue cycling here. But what is up with these bike shop owners/workers in this town? Where did all this smug pretension come from from riding/working on a bike? It's a freaking bike! Not some two wheeled unicorn that trots you to this upper echelon of cool. Jesus! Blue Line Labs is better but there is an occasional uppity worker to deal with but the majority are ok. Houston Bicycle Co. a bit less better than Blue Labs but better than West End. Best I've experienced in Houston is Boones. Love that joint. Super friendly and attentive no matter how busy they are. Not only did they replace my rear wheel with no problems, they also have 27" tubes and tires readily in stock for whenever I need to replace them. And with these crap a$$ roads and bike lanes...I've gone there quite a bit. read more